New Delhi:
It's the first Monday in two weeks that has dawned to no one asking - will Parliament function? Only because Parliament will not sit today. The FDI-in-retail logjam continues and that question will well be asked on Wednesday, when the Houses reconvene.
As the UPA government struggles to break the deadlock and the nation debates whether MPs should forgo their salary for all the days that they don't work, Congressman and MP Mani Shankar Aiyar says one solution to ensure a more meaningful Parliament session could be greater participation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Known not to pull his punches, Mr Aiyar said Dr Manmohan Singh needed to take part more actively in House debates and he said he supported the idea of a Prime Minister's Question Hour, much in the way other ministers have allotted Question Hours when they field queries from MPs. "I agree that the PM must spend much, much more time in Parliament than he does and there must be a PM's question time," Mr Aiyar said.
In the days that a united Opposition has not allowed Parliament to function, demanding a rollback of the government's nod to 51% foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and 100% in single-brand retail, it has also attacked the Prime Minister for being absent in Parliament. Asked about that criticism, Mr Aiyar said, "I completely agree, number one, a PM sets the tone for a democracy, Nehru was a permanent fixture on the front benches..."
Dr Singh and other senior Congressmen have, meanwhile, been busy trying to douse the FDI fire and find a solution that will ensure that Parliament gets work done in the two weeks of the short Winter Session now left. There are reports that when Parliament reconvenes on Wednesday, the government will make a statement on the issue.
Ally Mamata Banerjee, whose adamant stand opposing FDI in retail has become key to all strategies being worked out on the matter, raised eyebrows on Saturday when she quoted Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as having said that the government had decided to suspend its decision. "Pranabda has told me that the Centre has decided to suspend FDI in retail. If they do what they have told me they will do then there is no problem anymore. I have been told that the Cabinet decision on FDI will be put on hold till a consensus is evolved. Consensus means all opinions will be taken on board, and that means for now the problem is settled," she said. (
Watch)
The government has so far said it will not go back on its move or press pause, arguing that the policy is an Executive decision that does not require a Parliament nod. That has also meant gearing up for accepting an adjournment motion and a vote in Parliament on the issue. The Prime Minister has repeatedly spoken to allies like Ms Banerjee to ensure they stand with the government if it comes to a vote. The stand of Ms Banerjee's Trinamool Congress that it will be unable to do so is seen as having made the government give a second thought to going the vote route.
For now, while even the Congress party that leads the coalition UPA government has emphasised the need for wider consultations, the government has kept mum citing convention that when Parliament is in session, it cannot make any policy statement outside. After Mamata Banerjee's statement on Saturday, all Mr Mukherjee would say was, "I officially cannot say anything as Parliament is in session. I will only speak in Parliament."
The Opposition is listening keenly and hanging on to every word said on the other side. "As of now, the government's decision on suspension is the solution. And they will make a statement on this on December 7," said NDA Convenor Sharad Yadav.